While the Toyota Land Cruiser will soon be killed off in the United States, a next-generation model is in the works for other markets and according to reports, will be available with three different engine options.
Known as the Land Cruiser 300 Series, the
new model is expected to ditch the V8 engines of the current model in favor of
six-cylinder mills. One of these will take the form of a petrol 3.5-liter
twin-turbocharged V6 while a hybrid variant of this engine will also be offered
in some markets. For those looking for torque, a 3.3-liter diesel V6 is also
said to be on the cards.
Autoweek speculates that the new Land
Cruiser will be similar in size to the current model, news that’s not
unexpected as previous reports have suggested it will retain the same platform
as the existing model. Toyota has already confirmed that the current Land
Cruiser will be axed in the United States after the current 2021 model year and
it’s conceivable that the 300 Series model will premiere not long after this
happens, meaning a global debut mid-year is possible.
As noted by Motor1, a replacement to the
Land Cruiser-based Lexus LX is also in the works. The new model could be dubbed
the LQ and will apparently switch to a unibody platform, meaning it won’t be as
rugged but should be better suited to normal driving.
Not all hope is lost for the
next-generation Land Cruiser to be sold in the United States. In fact, a source
from a large dealer franchise told the media in December that the new Land
Cruiser could land stateside for the 2023 model year.
